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Wilmington grapples with worrisome rise in shootings

Widow Yin Mei Fu holds family photos of her late husband, Zhen Bo Liu, who was murdered in Wilmington while on a food delivery on June 14, 2012. Many say the increase in shootings in the city is the product of young, up-and-coming gang members, infighting between Bloods, and deep-seated societal issues exacerbated by the recession.

Published: Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 9:20 p.m.

Seven weeks later, Michael, 24, bent his right elbow and traced the circular scar on his forearm. “This is my bullet wound right here,” he noted. “It actually broke bone.”

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Information about gun crimes in Wilmington can be reported to the police department at 343-3600 or anonymously through the Text-A-Tip program by entering Tip708 and the information into a text message and sending it to CRIMES (274637)

And, he continued, pulling down his waistband to reveal another blemish on his hip, “I have another one right here.”

Doctors performed surgery to remove the slugs after two robbers held up Michael, who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of retribution, outside a Wilmington nightclub. The gunmen demanded Michael's money. He refused. They shot him.

The scars are forever a reminder of Michael's encounter with the gun violence that has reached epic proportions in Wilmington this year, climaxing a week ago with the death of 17-year-old Jeffrey Henry during a gun battle on the city's south side.

The tumult stirred fears of further bloodshed, prompting police to increase patrols in afflicted areas. And on Thursday, local clergy took the unprecedented move of staging a news conference to implore feuding gangs to agree to a 90-day cease-fire, invoking an action more emblematic of war zones than American cities.

Police Chief Ralph Evangelous stood beside them, conveying a sense of solidarity as the clergy members announced upcoming community events like midnight basketball and prayer walks for neighborhoods vulnerable to victimization.

Evangelous said in an earlier interview that the police department intends to roll out a multi-phase approach to stem the fighting, but he declined to delve into details until specifics had been hammered out. And at least one bishop last week even proposed instituting a curfew for those 18 and younger as a means of keeping teenagers out of trouble.

These recent developments come as the city grapples with a worrisome rise in shootings. From January to June 21, city police responded to 270 shots-fired calls, or nearly two per day, a 48 percent increase from the first six months of last year.

“Clearly, there's an uptick in the numbers. There's no question,” Evangelous said. “And clearly, it's really been centered around five or so neighborhoods, specific areas, so it's not like it's dispersed everywhere.”

Gun violence on the upswing

It is unclear whether the city's violent factions will heed calls for peace. Just hours after the clergy's news conference, police responded to reports that gunmen had exchanged fire from moving vehicles in the 900 block of Greenfield Street. Cpl. Kevin Smith, a police spokesman, said officers recovered shell casings from the scene and placed the episode under “active investigation.”

Many say the recent gun play is the product of young, up-and-coming gang members, infighting between Bloods, and deep-seated societal issues exacerbated by the recession, and that police action alone cannot rectify it. Also driving the problem is a general reluctance among witnesses to step forward with information that might lead to arrests, either because of fear of retribution, distrust for police, or both.

“You can't put your finger on just one thing,” said Tufanna Thomas, the outgoing strategic director of the New Hanover County Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence. She added, “We know a lot of young people, especially young men, get caught up in the street life. And there's not very many positive things that happen in street life.”

“Unfortunately, a number of kids are growing up with a lack of respect for life and authority,” said the Rev. Clifford Barnett of the Warner Temple AME Zion Church, who joined in calling for the cease-fire. “That's why it's so important that everybody contributes to helping turn the tide.”

Gun violence in the Port City comes in waves, ebbing and flowing throughout the year, data shows. Shootings spike. The community reacts. Police crack down. Tensions ease. But the calm is always fleeting, biding for another round. Today's goal, Evangelous said, is breaking that “vicious cycle.”

“You just can't keep incarcerating generation upon generation of these guys,” he said.

A familiar refrain

Most of the recent victims were young black men. That demographic group is particularly vulnerable, with one government report concluding that nationally, blacks are nearly eight times more likely to be killed by a firearm than whites.

That disparity underscores a self-destructive street life that has loaded jails and emergency rooms with black men. Of the 549 inmates confined at the New Hanover County jail on Friday, 50.46 percent of them were black. Yet blacks make up only 15 percent of the county's more than 202,000 residents.

“Any time our young African-American men are taken away to jails and prisons, it's concerning,” said Linda Rawley, the Wilmington Police Department's community resource coordinator. “That means there's another life that has been delayed or put on hold or really devastated, depending on the charge.”

Many times, no one is actually hit when the bullets start flying, but more shootings certainly increase the chances of injury. Between May 1 and June 24, 16 people were shot in Wilmington, including two fatally. That is eight times as many as the same period last year.

Janice Murray learned about the pain of gun violence firsthand some time ago, when one of her sons was paralyzed from the waist down by a bullet. Yet she encountered heartache once again on May 31, when her younger son, Eugene Logan, 31, was gunned down in the Hillcrest public housing community.

Asked to share her thoughts about how gun violence affected her family, Murray gasped. “What do I think about it?” she said. Then, as if struggling to find the words, waved her hand and added, “I'm done. I'm done.”

Gunshots a familiar sound to some

The rise in gun violence comes months after the city implemented the gunshot locater system ShotSpotter, which uses a network of acoustic sensors to triangulate the origin of gunfire and send that location to officers within seconds.

While police say the system makes the city safer, it might drive perceptions oppositely. Police now respond to shootings that previously might never have been reported to 911, thus never recorded as a statistic or reported in the news media. ShotSpotter might also account for some of the recent statistical increase.

Evangelous called it a good thing that recent statistics provide a more accurate depiction of reality. “We need that in order for us to know what's happening,” he said.

This year's spate of shootings drew attention to the plight of residents so near the violence that they grew accustomed to hearing the crack of gunfire echo through their neighborhoods.

When Lynda Harrison, a 15th Street resident, was asked how often she heard gunshots, she smiled. “How often do you breathe?” she asked. “I hear them all day and night.”

Harrison's son, Donald, was 29 years old in 2005 when a fight broke out at a party where he was working as a security guard. A gunman unleashed several shots into the crowd. When Donald tried to shield a young woman from the incoming bullets, one pierced his back and went through his heart. He died.

Harrison sat on a couch in a house on Maides Avenue that is home to her friend, Ginger Lee, 50, whose son was shot on Greendale Drive. He survived, but doctors were unable to remove the bullet. Two months later, he still walks around with the bullet lodged in his chest, Lee said.

Lee recalled once feeling scared about becoming an innocent bystander. Then she embraced her faith. “I used to be so scared to sleep at my house,” she said. “But I really am covered in the blood of Jesus and now I just sleep through the shots.”

As they answered questions, a third woman opened the glass door and walked into the living room. Lee sat up. “Hey,” she said, “your boy never got shot or anything like that, right?”

“Yes he was,” the woman responded, pointing down, “in his leg.”

Information about gun crimes in Wilmington can be reported to the police department at 343-3600 or anonymously through the Text-A-Tip program by entering Tip708 and the information into a text message and sending it to CRIMES (274637).

<p>Seven weeks later, Michael, 24, bent his right elbow and traced the circular scar on his forearm. “This is my bullet wound right here,” he noted. “It actually broke bone.” </p><p>And, he continued, pulling down his waistband to reveal another blemish on his hip, “I have another one right here.”</p><p>Doctors performed surgery to remove the slugs after two robbers held up Michael, who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of retribution, outside a Wilmington nightclub. The gunmen demanded Michael's money. He refused. They shot him. </p><p>The scars are forever a reminder of Michael's encounter with the gun violence that has reached epic proportions in Wilmington this year, climaxing a week ago with the death of 17-year-old Jeffrey Henry during a gun battle on the city's south side.</p><p>The tumult stirred fears of further bloodshed, prompting police to increase patrols in afflicted areas. And on Thursday, local clergy took the unprecedented move of staging a news conference to implore feuding gangs to agree to a 90-day cease-fire, invoking an action more emblematic of war zones than American cities. </p><p>Police Chief <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9935"><b>Ralph Evangelous</b></a> stood beside them, conveying a sense of solidarity as the clergy members announced upcoming community events like midnight basketball and prayer walks for neighborhoods vulnerable to victimization. </p><p>Evangelous said in an earlier interview that the police department intends to roll out a multi-phase approach to stem the fighting, but he declined to delve into details until specifics had been hammered out. And at least one bishop last week even proposed instituting a curfew for those 18 and younger as a means of keeping teenagers out of trouble. </p><p>These recent developments come as the city grapples with a worrisome rise in shootings. From January to June 21, city police responded to 270 shots-fired calls, or nearly two per day, a 48 percent increase from the first six months of last year. </p><p>“Clearly, there's an uptick in the numbers. There's no question,” Evangelous said. “And clearly, it's really been centered around five or so neighborhoods, specific areas, so it's not like it's dispersed everywhere.”</p><h3>Gun violence on the upswing</h3>
<p>It is unclear whether the city's violent factions will heed calls for peace. Just hours after the clergy's news conference, police responded to reports that gunmen had exchanged fire from moving vehicles in the 900 block of Greenfield Street. Cpl. Kevin Smith, a police spokesman, said officers recovered shell casings from the scene and placed the episode under “active investigation.”</p><p>Many say the recent gun play is the product of young, up-and-coming gang members, infighting between Bloods, and deep-seated societal issues exacerbated by the recession, and that police action alone cannot rectify it. Also driving the problem is a general reluctance among witnesses to step forward with information that might lead to arrests, either because of fear of retribution, distrust for police, or both. </p><p>“You can't put your finger on just one thing,” said Tufanna Thomas, the outgoing strategic director of the New Hanover County Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence. She added, “We know a lot of young people, especially young men, get caught up in the street life. And there's not very many positive things that happen in street life.” </p><p>“Unfortunately, a number of kids are growing up with a lack of respect for life and authority,” said the Rev. Clifford Barnett of the Warner Temple AME Zion Church, who joined in calling for the cease-fire. “That's why it's so important that everybody contributes to helping turn the tide.” </p><p>Gun violence in the Port City comes in waves, ebbing and flowing throughout the year, data shows. Shootings spike. The community reacts. Police crack down. Tensions ease. But the calm is always fleeting, biding for another round. Today's goal, Evangelous said, is breaking that “vicious cycle.” </p><p>“You just can't keep incarcerating generation upon generation of these guys,” he said.</p><h3>A familiar refrain</h3>
<p>Most of the recent victims were young black men. That demographic group is particularly vulnerable, with one government report concluding that nationally, blacks are nearly eight times more likely to be killed by a firearm than whites. </p><p>That disparity underscores a self-destructive street life that has loaded jails and emergency rooms with black men. Of the 549 inmates confined at the New Hanover County jail on Friday, 50.46 percent of them were black. Yet blacks make up only 15 percent of the county's more than 202,000 residents. </p><p>“Any time our young African-American men are taken away to jails and prisons, it's concerning,” said Linda Rawley, the Wilmington Police Department's community resource coordinator. “That means there's another life that has been delayed or put on hold or really devastated, depending on the charge.” </p><p>Many times, no one is actually hit when the bullets start flying, but more shootings certainly increase the chances of injury. Between May 1 and June 24, 16 people were shot in Wilmington, including two fatally. That is eight times as many as the same period last year. </p><p>Janice Murray learned about the pain of gun violence firsthand some time ago, when one of her sons was paralyzed from the waist down by a bullet. Yet she encountered heartache once again on May 31, when her younger son, Eugene Logan, 31, was gunned down in the Hillcrest public housing community. </p><p>Asked to share her thoughts about how gun violence affected her family, Murray gasped. “What do I think about it?” she said. Then, as if struggling to find the words, waved her hand and added, “I'm done. I'm done.”</p><h3>Gunshots a familiar sound to some</h3>
<p>The rise in gun violence comes months after the city implemented the gunshot locater system ShotSpotter, which uses a network of acoustic sensors to triangulate the origin of gunfire and send that location to officers within seconds. </p><p>While police say the system makes the city safer, it might drive perceptions oppositely. Police now respond to shootings that previously might never have been reported to 911, thus never recorded as a statistic or reported in the news media. ShotSpotter might also account for some of the recent statistical increase. </p><p>Evangelous called it a good thing that recent statistics provide a more accurate depiction of reality. “We need that in order for us to know what's happening,” he said. </p><p>This year's spate of shootings drew attention to the plight of residents so near the violence that they grew accustomed to hearing the crack of gunfire echo through their neighborhoods. </p><p>When Lynda Harrison, a 15th Street resident, was asked how often she heard gunshots, she smiled. “How often do you breathe?” she asked. “I hear them all day and night.” </p><p>Harrison's son, Donald, was 29 years old in 2005 when a fight broke out at a party where he was working as a security guard. A gunman unleashed several shots into the crowd. When Donald tried to shield a young woman from the incoming bullets, one pierced his back and went through his heart. He died. </p><p>Harrison sat on a couch in a house on Maides Avenue that is home to her friend, Ginger Lee, 50, whose son was shot on Greendale Drive. He survived, but doctors were unable to remove the bullet. Two months later, he still walks around with the bullet lodged in his chest, Lee said. </p><p>Lee recalled once feeling scared about becoming an innocent bystander. Then she embraced her faith. “I used to be so scared to sleep at my house,” she said. “But I really am covered in the blood of Jesus and now I just sleep through the shots.” </p><p>As they answered questions, a third woman opened the glass door and walked into the living room. Lee sat up. “Hey,” she said, “your boy never got shot or anything like that, right?” </p><p>“Yes he was,” the woman responded, pointing down, “in his leg.” </p><p>Information about gun crimes in Wilmington can be reported to the police department at 343-3600 or anonymously through the Text-A-Tip program by entering Tip708 and the information into a text message and sending it to CRIMES (274637). </p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9904"><b>Brian Freskos</b></a>: 343-2327</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @BrianFreskos</i></p>